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Tense meeting in Braddock over new strip mill leaves residents frustrated
Tensions ran high Thursday evening at the Carnegie Library in Braddock, where borough residents asked members of the Allegheny County Health Department’s...
Final plans for Trump’s arch appear to abandon his ‘military complex’ idea
Newly posted documents make no mention of drones, snipers or other military features announced by the president. A White House official disputed that plans had changed.
Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling
SAO PAULO (AP) — Tech giant Meta denied accusations Friday that it acted with political bias during Brazil’s presidential campaign, less than a day after the country’s electoral court ruled the platform must give equal treatment to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and opposition candidate Fláv...
Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling
SAO PAULO (AP) — Tech giant Meta denied accusations Friday that it acted with political bias during Brazil’s presidential campaign, less than a day after the country’s electoral court ruled the pla…
Meta denies accusation of anti-Lula political bias in Brazil after electoral court ruling
Tech giant Meta has denied accusations it has acted with political bias during Brazil’s presidential campaign.
Popular Wisconsin restaurant to close after nearly 65 years in business
VAN DYNE, Wis. (WFRV) — A Wisconsin bar and restaurant is closing after serving residents for nearly 65 years, according to a press release. After a dispute among family members, Wendt’…
Savannah Bananas players visit Riverview Health & Rehabilitation Center
Savannah Bananas players brought fun and connection to Riverview Health & Rehabilitation Center, delighting residents with dancing, singing, and personal interactions.
Musical chairs in the Maryland Senate president's office and other political notes
Musical chairs in the Maryland Senate president's office and other political notes
Netflix Scrambles to Rewrite Its Narrative With Layoffs and a Sudden Firing
Despite strong revenues and profits, the streaming service cut 1,000 jobs and jettisoned its chief content officer. Drops in the stock price and viewer engagement are to blame.
Manny Rutinel smashes Colorado House race fundraising record in 8th CD
Democratic congressional candidate Manny Rutinel raised more than $4.2 million in the most recent quarter in his bid to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado’s most competitive U.S. House race, hauling in more than twice as much as Evans and setting a new state record. Across the board, the state’s Democratic nominees outraised […]
Mysterious 'Golden Tree' Coral Is So Weird, Scientists Had to Create a New Family on The Tree of Life
Magic in the twilight zone.
The Moon Is Shrinking, and Scientists Say That Could Be a Problem for NASA
Researchers identified more than 10,000 lunar faults, raising concerns about moonquakes, landslides, and the safety of future lunar missions.
Gaston’s science department launches rock collecting project
By Caylie Moore, Features Editor Since the beginning of the school year, Gaston High School students have been working on a pen pal project — but don’t underestimate the point of this assignment, Features Editor Caylie Moore cautions. This project is no ordinary exchange of simple letters, nor unnecessary busywork for a drawn-out English class, […]
Frontier, fuboTV, E.W. Scripps, Sphere Entertainment, and AMC Entertainment Stocks Trade Down, What You Need To Know
A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after The LSEG/Ipsos Primary Consumer Sentiment Index fell 5.3 points from September to 45.2 in October 2026, the lowest reading since October 2011. According to LSEG, the survey was taken from Sept. 25 through Oct. 1. The monthly drop was the second-largest on record, behind only April 2020. The index is now below its May 2020 pandemic low of 45.4 and is 7.7 points under its level of a year ago.That kind of break in confidence hits the companies
Medicaid changes impact, newest culinary trail: CT politics news
Plus: Social security recipients will see an increase and Blue Ribbon Commission on K-12 funding wants to encourage regionalization.
Appeals Court Questions Justice Dept. Claim that Trump Owns White House Records
A three-judge panel appeared unconvinced by claims that a federal law requiring the president to preserve and hand over his presidential papers was unconstitutional.
Staff Turnover and Missing Funds: A Tumultuous Week at Trump’s White House
With just over two weeks remaining before the midterm elections, things inside the White House are turbulent. Even though President Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot, he is top of mind for many as they head to the polls. Republicans across the country are already working to persuade voters not to ...
Denzel Boston good to go for Week 6
The Browns top receiver will be in the lineup for the team in Week 6.
A Look at the Computer Science Degree in 2026
In 2018, a student published an article in this paper titled “YC’s Computer Science Major is on the Rise.” His piece proved prescient for the next four years, as enrollment in Intro to Computer Science continued to increase, indicating a growing interest in the field. Enrollment in this introductory course in Yeshiva College reached an […]
Archaeologists discover the oldest dwelling in the Western Hemisphere at a 13,800-year-old site in Alaska
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient base camp in Alaska that has evidence of the oldest dwelling and possibly the earliest domesticated dogs in the Americas.
Physicists froze a 'necklace' of atoms — and witnessed a quantum phenomenon predicted 100 years ago
Atoms confined to a single line can bind into clusters called Bethe strings. A new experiment points to a mix of many such clusters, though the evidence is still indirect.
UI receives grant for business student wellness
A multimillion-dollar donation to the University of Iowa’s business college, alongside a matching gift challenge to generate even more funds, will help support a student mental health and success initiative
Airline High School students run their own store to build real-world business skills
Airline High School students are getting a hands-on lesson in business through the Viking Exchange, a student-run store designed to help prepare them for the workforce and life after graduation.
Mountain Dreamers series aims to connect Summit County’s Latino business community
What began as an effort to help Summit County residents navigate their taxes has grown into a broader initiative to support local Latino entrepreneurs. Mountain Dreamers launched its first Café y Emprendimiento in August, inviting...
Cook Political Report moves 11 House races towards Democrats as Trump continues campaigning
The non-partisan Cook Political Report moves nearly a dozen races toward Democrats with less than three weeks before the election. NBC’s Monica Alba and Garrett Haake report on President Trump's campaign trip to Georgia and Cook Political Report’s Erin Covey joins to discuss the rating shifts.
Obama's star power gets a reality check from Black voters in crucial Senate race: 'It's a turn-off'
Barack Obama's endorsement of Abdul El-Sayed drew mixed reactions from Detroit Black voters, with undecided residents saying it didn't move the needle.
AI chatbots could make healthcare more accessible, but some doctors are still wary
AI chatbots are everywhere these days, helping to write emails or draft resumes and answer users’ burning questions about everything from their love life to medical advice.
New UNT science and technology building on track to open in spring 2027
The University of North Texas hosted a tour of its new four-story science and technology building on the Denton campus ahead of its spring 2027 opening.
'He took care of business': Trump says bystander saved lives at Oregon school shooting
President Donald Trump praised the armed man who shot and killed an Oregon elementary school shooter, saying the intervention likely saved lives.
A Century of Growth: 100 Years of Dental Hygiene Education at UT Health Sciences
The Dental Hygiene Program at UT Health Sciences celebrates 100 years.
NY and CT get $2.7M settlement from health network BCHP, IT company XTIUM for data breach
Impacted residents will have fraud alert coverage through the settlement, a state spokesperson said.
VRE7 TV, a Red-Carpet Entertainment Network, Opens Casting Call for Fans, Creators and Industry Insiders
The independent network pairs its celebrity interview archive with on-camera takes from fans in the new VRE7 Front Row documentary series.
WATCH: Maine Health Care Professionals Slam Collins’ Health Care Record
This week, Maine health care professionals gathered to slam Susan Collins for failing to protect Mainers’ health care. Dr. Nirav Shah and Maine State Nurses Association Co-President Erin Oberson called out Collins for advancing Trump’s Medicaid cuts and voting to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has eviscerated America’s public health system.
Selma Blair breaks silence on arrest and plane incident
The actress was arrested on Oct. 11 after allegedly assaulting two flight attendants mid-flight during “a medical emergency.”
University of Iowa receives foundation grant for business student wellness initiative
The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business received a $3.5 million grant to sustain its student success initiative.
This Eerie State of Consciousness Makes Your Brain Feel Broken—but It May Be Keeping You Alive
Suddenly everything becomes unfamiliar...
Students explore careers from health care to skilled trades at Career Connect
Wood County Christian School swapped its traditional college and career fair for face-to-face conversations this year, launching a Career Connect panel that brought local professionals to the gymnasium Friday.
Augusta Health to Host Community Career Fair in Waynesboro on October 22 Careers & Connections event will offer job opportunities, same-day interviews, and career resources
FISHERSVILLE, VIRGINIA — Augusta Health invites everyone —from experienced professionals and career changers to students and those simply exploring what’s next —to discover career opportunities at Careers & Connections: More Than a Job Fair. The event takes place Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Best Western Plus, 109 Apple […]
Hackathon Welcomes STC Cybersecurity Students
For South Texas College Cybersecurity student Athena Vallejo, presenting to high school students at one of the college’s signature events is an opportunity to show them a future they can build for themselves.
Talarico raises record $64M in Texas Senate race against Paxton
Democrat James Talarico scored record-breaking numbers in Q3, widening his fundraising lead in the Texas U.S. Senate race against Republican Ken Paxton.
Trump says he told Katie Zacharia he'd reconsider White House job
Katie Zacharia made her White House press briefing debut on Tuesday and quickly came under intense scrutiny over her legal credentials.
Gov. Josh Shapiro takes new step into national politics by launching federal PAC
As rumors swirl about Josh Shapiro's potential presidential ambitions, the Pennsylvania governor has taken another step into national politics.
Gov. Josh Shapiro takes new step into national politics by launching federal PAC
As rumors swirl about Josh Shapiro's potential presidential ambitions, the Pennsylvania governor has taken another step into national politics.
Trump says press secretary Katie Zacharia should ‘reconsider’ her role
“Maybe it’s not for her,” President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday, saying that he would ultimately leave the decision to Zacharia.
Katie Zacharia reportedly leaving as Trump’s press secretary just 5 days into the job
President Donald Trump's new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, is "transitioning out of the role" after he told her to reconsider the job just five days in, according to a White House official.
Roger Marshall praises Trump's tariff policies after Kansas executive says they hurt his business
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, locked in tight campaign with Democrat Adam Hamilton, throws full support behind President Donald Trump's tariff war.
Trump asks Zacharia to reconsider White House press secretary role
President Donald Trump has told press secretary Katie Zacharia to reconsider her role as his top spokesperson, he told reporters at the White House.
The Kelly Clarkson bird saga continues. Molly is worth $15 million
LOS ANGELES — The Kelly Clarkson wooden bird feud continues to soar as the New York City novelty shop accused of disrespecting the "Voice" star sets a whopping $15 million
The Kelly Clarkson bird saga continues. Molly is worth $15 million
LOS ANGELES — The Kelly Clarkson wooden bird feud continues to soar as the New York City novelty shop accused of disrespecting the "Voice" star sets a whopping $15 million
Pokémon TCG Pocket Is Finally Fixing One Of Its Most Frustrating Features
Alongside slowing its release cadence, trading and immersive cards are also getting improvements
NBA tells sportsbooks to ban certain bets and parlays: report
The NBA told sportsbook partners in a Friday memo to ban certain types of bets and parlays this season that gamblers used in recent wagering scandals, ESPN reported."There's a balance between ensuring that we are removing problematic bet types but also ensuring that we don't just move activity into the illegal market," NBA executive vice president Scott Kaufman-Ross told ESPN. "Where we landed right now, we think, is the right balance of those two objectives."
Small business optimism dips in September NFIB survey
Small business optimism slipped in September as owners grappled with rising costs, higher interest rates and a persistent shortage of qualified workers, according to a monthly survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 0.8 points to 97.9, just below the survey’s 52-year average of 98.0. The […]
Riverside has a donkey dilemma. Can science offer clues for coexistence?
For students at UC Riverside, the start of fall semester means picking up their class syllabus, catching up with friends and snapping selfies with the adorable wild donkeys that roam
Small Business Administration loans approved for Aspen Acres Fire
The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved Colorado's request for disaster assistance loans following the Aspen Acres Fire in Pueblo and Custer Counties, Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday.
Scientists Kept Finding The Same Mysterious DNA In Their Samples. The Marine Microbe It Belongs To Has The Smallest Genome Ever Identified
This tiny marine organism may demonstrate just how little genetic material a cell needs to survive.
Trump wants the midterms to be all about him. Based on Democrats' ads, they are happy to oblige
Many of the Democrats' ads accuse Republican opponents of siding with the president over voters, particularly on issues like tariffs and the Iran war, which they blame for jacking up costs.
Cavaliers Star James Harden Ranked 11th-Best 'Creator' in NBA
James Harden is one of the best creators in the NBA.
Greensboro bank makes rival bid for Durham's historic M&F
A rival offer could preserve the historic Black-owned bank's identity ahead of an Oct. 20 vote.
Long Beach student advances to national science competition finals
Long Beach student Hanna Heitefuss is the only New Yorker among 30 finalists in the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, earning national recognition for her research on saltwater intrusion and its effects on plants and aquatic life.
NMSU Aggie Career Studio to host 12th annual Health Professions Fair
New Mexico State University’s Aggie Career Studio will host its 12th annual Health Professions Fair from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, on the first floor of Corbett Center Student Union. The...
Tottenham Looking For A Striker In January
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly preparing to strengthen their first-team attack when the January transfer window opens, according to TEAMTALK, with Roberto De Zerbi said to have identified five potential striker targets.
Texas Upstream Employment Down in September
Citing the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) highlighted new employment figures for the Texas oil and natural gas industry. According to TIPRO, employment in the Texas upstream sector decreased by 500 jobs between August and September 2026
Local health insurance broker highlights changes coming to Medicare, healthcare policies in 2027
As over a million Coloradans review their healthcare plans for Medicare’s open enrollment period — running from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 — a local health insurance broker is preparing
We’re Living in a Golden Age of Hot-Guy Politicians
From Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed to Jon Ossoff and Pete Buttigieg, a new generation of politicians is going hard on policy while being easy on the eyes.
Music star who attended Berklee College hits Trump with 3-word insult onstage
A Grammy-winning singer with a Berklee College background used some choice words about President Donald Trump during a recent performance.
Virginia health leaders strongly encourage vaccines at Riverside Health flu shot event
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Riverside Health hosted a flu vaccine event at their Internal Medicine Warwick location Thursday morning. Multiple state leaders and stakeholder were in attendence,…
Dunleavy was confident that Butler would appreciate …
Dunleavy was confident that Butler would appreciate …
Major independent political analyst moves Jared Moskowitz-Scott Singer congressional race to ‘lean Democratic’
“Democrats (are) in a decent position to hold this seat.” A major political handicapper, The Cook Political Report, moves South Florida’s 25th Congressional District contest to “lean Democratic.”
Award-winning Business Husky Believes Success Is Something You Pass Along
Michigan Tech senior Jim Brisson's work to help students connect with business professionals, industries and the accounting community has earned him the 2026 Campus Influencer of the Year award from the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants. He'll be recognized at MICPA's Celebrate Awards event on Nov. 11 in Detroit.
Heather Baker Joins Forbes Business Council, Brings Arkansas Media Leadership to National Stage
AY Media Group President and Publisher Heather Baker joins Forbes Business Council, bringing nearly 30 years of publishing experience to a national platform.
AASHTO Journal - State DOTs Use Art to Promote Safety, Health, Beautification
Across the country, state departments of transportation are using a bevy of artistic approaches to promote safety, health, and community beautification efforts. [Above photo by Oklahoma DOT] For example, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is currently seeking student participants for its “Keep Our Land Grand” poster contest. Formerly known as the “Trash Poster Contest,” the […]
Health Department to hold flu clinic at Westford Academy
Westford residents have the opportunity to receive free flu vaccinations at a community clinic hosted by the Westford Health Department.
Trump will rally Georgia Republicans despite party divisions in battleground state
President Donald Trump's midterm campaign blitz arrives in Georgia on Friday for a rally with top Republican candidates in a state that has long been the epicenter of the president's false claims about election fraud.
In immigrant-heavy Georgia city, Trump to test limits of his midterm message
The visit to Dalton is especially complicated for GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson, who increasingly has emphasized his independence from the president.
NFL fans question Donald Trump’s choice of Week 6 game
Ale_Mi/Depositphotos Donald Trump cancels NFL game visit President Donald Trump was reportedly planning to attend the Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 18, 2026. CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes first reported the expected visit on October 13. The game was scheduled for a Sunday afternoon kickoff at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa,…
Registration is open for high school winter sports
Registration is now officially open for high school winter sports for the City School District of Albany! Any student in grades 9-12 who is interested in trying out for boys' basketball, girls' basketball, bowling, cheerleading, boys' indoor track, girls' indoor track, spirit team, boys' swimming and diving, boys' wrestling and girls' wrestling is invited to register via Final Forms. Important: please note that registration for winter sports ends on Friday, Nov. 13. Practices and tryouts for winter sports begin on Monday, Nov. 16. FINAL FORMS Each season, the following must be done prior to the first day of tryouts and practices: A parent or guardian must initiate the registration process for their student-athlete in Final Forms, filling out the required forms such as Interval Sports Health History and the Athletic Consent Form. The student-athlete must sign and complete their required forms. A reminder that all students who would like to play an interscholastic sport need to have a current physical conducted within a year on file. PHYSICALS A physical conducted within the last 12 months is mandatory for any student interested in trying out for an athletic team and must be uploaded into the Final Forms platform. Families are encouraged to get a completed physical from their child's physician. If you are unable to get a physical from your child's physician, you can schedule a free physical with Whitney Young's school-based health center by calling (518) 573-2556. Additionally, the district physician will also be available to facilitate sports physicals at Albany High in room 4253 on the following dates: Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sports physicals on Nov. 12 and 13 are free and no appointment is necessary. ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Please note that students must have a good attendance record and be in good standing academically to be eligible to participate in an athletic team. Eligibility is determined based on quarterly grades, and interim progress reports will serve as an important academic checkpoint for all student‑athletes. For additional details about academic eligibility, please see our Athletic Code of Conduct. For our winter teams, academic eligibility to start the season will be based on final first-quarter grades. The first marking period ends Nov. 13. Albany High offers free tutoring facilitated by Albany High teachers Monday-Thursday from 3:30-5 p.m. for students who need extra help with their academics. See this flyer for additional details. IMPORTANT DATES Seniors, please mark your calendars for Senior Media Day for winter sports, which will take place on Monday, Nov. 30. All student-athletes playing winter sports will also participate in our winter sports picture days, which will take place Tuesday, Dec. 15–Thursday, Dec. 18. Specific dates and times for each team will be shared once rosters are finalized. OPEN GYM SESSIONS Student-athletes are encouraged to check out our open gym sessions as they prepare for upcoming sports seasons. We’re looking forward to a rewarding winter sports season this year! If you have any questions, please contact the Athletic Department at (518) 475-6310. Go Falcons!
Starlink a 'major card' for Ukraine, sudden speed limits show risk
The recent disruption of Ukraine's military-grade Starlink service has spotlighted the risks, as well as efforts to diversify communications options.
Can AI solve our mental health access problem?
Last week I asked you what worries you most about AI in health. It was close, but your top answer was “AI giving bad health advice.” Last week’s poll results: You’re in good company. This concern was top of mind at a conference I joined at Stanford last week, where researchers, clinicians, and people who build AI systems spent a day debating trust and safety in health AI. Stepping back, I’m also hearing your emerging concerns about AI’s impact on our well-being generally. I see this as a matter of public health, and we’ll take it in pieces as we learn together. Today we’ll focus on AI chatbots used for therapy for mental health. Early this month, Governor Newsom vetoed Senate Bill 903, California’s most ambitious attempt to regulate AI use for mental health. It’s at the center of active debate, and raises the questions patients, family members, citizens, and voters will face as AI moves deeper into health care. Let’s work through it. What is “AI-based therapy”? It’s really two things: purpose-built mental health apps designed to deliver structured support, and general chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini that people increasingly use for emotional support—even if they weren’t built for it. Spoiler alert: I don’t know whether the shift toward AI therapy is good or bad. The evidence isn’t there yet. But I do know it’s already happening, and I have some ideas about how we can roll it out with safety in mind. The therapy dilemma, in a nutshell Mental health challenges are common, and strain health and well-being across populations. Therapy (interactive dialogue with a trained, empathetic practitioner) helps many people heal. The demand for licensed therapists far exceeds the supply in California, and AI-based therapy can narrow that gap. AI-based therapy remains novel, unproven, and not well tested. Right off the bat, we can see we’re dealing with trade-offs here. Since the main driver of demand for therapy from a robot is lack of access to therapy from a human, we’ll start there. It’s too hard to find and afford a human therapist California is short roughly 55,000 licensed, non-prescribing therapists and counselors, about 40% of what we need. Psychiatrists, who rely on talk therapy as a complement to prescribed medications, are even more scarce. Eight counties have none, and density ranges from 1.7 per 100,000 residents in San Benito County, to 68.1 in Marin County. My wife is a psychiatrist in Marin, and even here access is tight. If it’s hard in the best-supplied county, imagine rural Sierra County, or the San Joaquin Valley. In 2024, more than half of Californians who tried to make a mental health appointment struggled to find a provider who took their insurance, compared with 14% for physical health care. When Senate staff posed as “secret shopper” patients and called 120 mental health providers in Medicare Advantage networks, they landed an appointment less than once for every five tries. Insurers pay behavioral health clinicians about 22% less than medical and surgical clinicians for comparable office visits. On top of that, billing denials and prior authorizations hit hardest at the solo and small practices common in mental health. Psychiatrists opt out of Medicare at the highest rate of any specialty. In many places, a cash practice for therapy fills quickly with patients paying $250 or more an hour, with no insurance paperwork at all. Families who can pay cash find providers more easily. Those who rely on insurance, including Medi-Cal enrollees, older adults, rural residents, and non-English speakers, compete for what’s left. So we can’t pretend the human system works, and we can’t blame people for turning to AI for support when they’re in distress. AI is filling the gap It’s estimated that roughly a quarter of AI users use it for mental health support. If you have internet, it’s available 24/7, it’s cheap, and it speaks your language. Uninsured adults are about twice as likely as insured adults to do it (30% vs. 14%). It feels anonymous in ways that may enable people to ask things they’re unsure or embarrassed about. The largely hidden, personal use makes it hard to study whether it’s actually helping people with their mental health issues, but researchers are trying. Does AI therapy work? A 2026 analysis of nearly 40 randomized trials found chatbots showed a real but small reduction in depression symptoms. But most of these trials were compared to an alternative of no therapy, not a human therapist. So the benefit of AI therapy is probably real, but modest, and mostly untested against the alternative of human contact. We need more studies. Serious concerns OpenAI’s own estimate is that more than a million ChatGPT users each week show signs of suicidal planning or intent. These are high stakes encounters, and AI doesn’t always get it right. That’s partly because a chatbot can sound like a therapist, but it has no license, no duty of care, and it’s not clear who to hold accountable when it gets things wrong. AI is also designed to help users in whatever task they’re seeking to accomplish. People may feel like they’re getting therapy, but they’re mainly getting a convincing conversation. It’s easy for an AI companion to wander into gray areas, like playing along with “creative writing” that may be about the user’s own suicidal intent. Courts are driving safety conversations A wave of lawsuits have been filed on behalf of families claiming that chatbots pushed people they loved toward self-harm, including teens who died by suicide. The first settlements came this year. OpenAI is headquartered in San Francisco, and dozens of cases alleging that ChatGPT drove users to suicide or self-harm are now before a San Francisco judge. Character.ai has filed for bankruptcy after several states brought lawsuits accusing the chatbot of pushing dangerous content to kids. But the technology seems to be improving. Last month, an independent evaluation found that newer AI models “almost never endorse suicide.” That’s progress, but our societal appetite for even one preventable death is very low. So how do we move forward? Finding a middle ground Earlier this month the governor vetoed Senate Bill 903, a bill designed to place guardrails on the use of AI for therapy. The bill would have prohibited any AI-based platform from being advertised as psychotherapy, and would have required a licensed professional to review and approve each encounter where AI was used to support therapeutic decisions. Newsom called it overly broad, since even routine screening questions would have needed clinician sign-off. Knowing we’re already short on mental health providers, requiring human review of AI encounters may not relieve our access problems. Still, the answer isn’t no oversight. Here’s one feasible short term solution. Rather than reviewing each encounter, a licensed clinician can design the guardrails: what counts as a crisis, what triggers an immediate handoff to a human, and what gets sampled for audit each month. The AI runs inside that structure. Conversations get checked, failures get reported, and a real clinician owns the framework. Medicine already has models to learn from. The FDA process for rolling out newly approved medications is an example. After a product reaches patients, we keep watching for adverse events. Patient-facing AI needs the same “digital pharmacovigilance”: systematic tracking of harms, near misses, and the types of groups that get hurt and why. It’s also critical that users know that they can reach a human if they’re in crisis. Most chatbots now include messages like these: Bottom line The rush to use unproven AI tools for mental health support is mostly a workaround, a sign of a health system people can’t get into. We need better access to proven care from licensed clinicians. That takes reimbursement that makes accepting insurance viable, and a bigger workforce. But, built and tested well, AI could be part of the answer. It could be the 2 a.m. check-in when no one else is awake, or a way for patients to practice skills their therapist taught them. It could be the first step to get someone the right level of care, and take paperwork off clinicians’ plates so they spend more time with patients. None of this is simple. The SB 903 veto doesn’t end the debate, and the legislature will be back. In the meantime, those of us using these tools need to stay informed, ask hard questions, and hold the companies building them accountable. I’ll try to do my part, and we’ll keep learning together. Love,Matt P.S. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988- you’ll reach a real person— or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7. Dr. Matt Willis is the author of Your Local Epidemiologist in California. A California native, he’s served as a primary care physician, CDC epidemiologist, and public health officer for Marin County, where he guided the pandemic response. He lives in Marin with his family and their dogs, Teddy and Ramona. Thank you Cynthia He, MD, PhD, and Parnika Saxena, MD, for their guidance in preparing this article. Cynthia works in an outpatient mental health clinic, treating patients who have Medi-Cal or, sometimes, no insurance. Parnika works in an inpatient psychiatric unit, treating patients with public or private insurance or self-pay ability. All opinions are their own and do not represent their employers.
Albania: Protesting students demand political change and resignation of longtime Prime Minister Edi Rama
Empty lecture halls, burning buildings and demands for change: Albanian students are spearheading a protest movement that has become the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Edi Rama in years.
Democrats eyeing the presidency can’t stop talking about this issue
The attention from prominent Democrats reflects a spreading belief inside the party that a winning 2028 agenda must tackle Americans’ deep worries
Sacramento health inspectors found 251 rodent droppings in this facility. Where?
Sacramento County Health Inspectors gave red placards to six eateries and cited 12 other facilities.
Sweden’s Left Faces a Political Deadlock
In September, Swedish voters defeated a governing coalition that the far right had propped up. But the Center Party is now blocking a new government because it wants to keep Left Party ministers out o...
Sweden’s Left Faces a Political Deadlock
In September, Swedish voters defeated a governing coalition that the far right had propped up. But the Center Party is now blocking a new government because it wants to keep Left Party ministers out of the cabinet.
Davids Urges Federal Action as Kansas Small Businesses Squeezed Out of Tariff Refunds While Large Corporations Cash In
Today, Representative Sharice Davids demanded immediate action to ensure Kansas small businesses receive the tariff refunds they are owed. Following this year’s Supreme Court ruling overturning the president’s reckless tariffs, the federal government began processing billions of dollars in refunds.
Plant science graduate student committed to improving food security
Sarah Flanagan, a doctoral student in plant science and food security, has been involved with the World Food Prize Foundation and its mission of world food security since high school. Now, she is set to return for the Norman E. Borlaug Dialogue, Oct. 20-22.
The Science Of Foundayo: How Eli Lilly’s Daily Weight Loss Pill Works
Managing your weight in middle age can be remarkably frustrating, especially when habits that used to work suddenly stop moving the needle.
Plague is stoppable. The next health threat may not be.
The word plague is scary. Centuries ago, the Black Death killed tens of millions of people and changed the course of history. Plague still kills people around the world, and the word still evokes catastrophe. New fears of plague surfaced on October 2, when a lab worker in Irkutsk, Russia, died of pneumonia. Reports suggested that she may have contracted plague through a laboratory exposure. Understandably, people were alarmed. On October 7, the World Health Organization called for the Russian Federation to be transparent about what it knew. WHO issued an update on October 10. Russian authorities told WHO that testing did not identify plague and that investigations found no laboratory release. WHO said confidence in its risk assessment remained limited and that further clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory information was needed. The cause of the woman’s illness remains unknown, and WHO says a laboratory-associated exposure cannot be excluded. As I explained in a recent interview, this incident is very unlikely to lead to a pandemic. Plague is still active, including in the U.S., which sees a handful of cases each year. But it is a disease we can prevent and treat. Plague doesn’t spread readily, and it responds to antibiotics. The standard response—isolate the patient, trace contacts, and administer antibiotics and monitor for symptoms among contacts for seven days—works. We have even planned for antibiotic-resistant plague. At CDC, we developed a playbook for antibiotic-resistant plague and ran exercises on how to find and stop it. CDC guidance anticipates engineered resistance and recommends two different classes of antibiotics if there’s reason to suspect it. There is no evidence that resistance—or even confirmed plague—is involved in this incident. We have thought through how to address plague, but we’re not ready for the next major health threat that emerges from a lab or from animal spillover to humans. What should concern people is how little stands between the world and the next pathogen to get loose. Since peak COVID, epidemic preparedness has fallen off the political agenda, but the risk is greater than ever. More labs handle dangerous pathogens with more ways to make those pathogens deadlier, and more people live and work in close contact with animals. There are actions we can take now: We need better lab safety in every country. The number of labs that work with dangerous pathogens has increased worldwide over two decades, but there’s no enforceable international standard and no inspection regime; the Biological Weapons Convention, fifty years on, still has no verification mechanism. Labs that study dangerous germs need strong safety systems, training, and oversight. We need to reduce spillover events. Three in four emerging human infections start in animals, and there’s a lot we can do to reduce spillover risk, but the world is doing very little of it. Live-animal markets are one place to act. For instance, closing live-bird markets helped control H7N9 influenza in China. Reducing opportunities for people to encounter infected animals can prevent infections before they become outbreaks. In The Formula for Better Health, which is now out in paperback along with the hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook versions, I argue that labs do too many risky experiments with too many dangerous pathogens in too many institutions, and that every experiment should first answer one basic question: Is the likely benefit greater than the risk? Spillover risk can also be reduced: In the book, I discuss how Brazil cut its deforestation rate by 70% from 2004 to 2012 while increasing agricultural production and reducing risky contact between people and forest animals. We need faster detection and response. Delay costs lives. Strong surveillance, good labs, and trained responders can turn a single case into a small cluster of infections instead of an epidemic. Resolve to Save Lives has worked for nearly a decade to help countries find and stop outbreaks faster. The 7-1-7 target, which Resolve to Save Lives developed with partners in Uganda and elsewhere, provides a clear standard: detect within 7 days, notify within 1 day and complete all essential early response actions within 7 days. In Uganda’s Kasese district, for example, a review of a measles outbreak using 7-1-7 identified shortages of accessible funds, fuel, and vehicles that delayed the response. District leaders established funds they could access quickly. When, a few months later, the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever appeared, the district detected it in three days, notified authorities in one, and mounted an effective response in two. Only one case was confirmed, and the patient survived. Because funds were available before the emergency, authorities were prepared and able to act. This kind of preparation can’t wait until the next crisis begins. Plague is an old disease we that know how to stop. The next threat may be harder to recognize, harder to treat, and easier to spread. Safer labs, less risk of spillover, and faster outbreak detection and response need sustained investment now, while we still have time to prevent the next emergency. Share
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